The present invention relates to a device for floating a moving member along a predetermined route without making contact therewith.
Heretofore, there has been proposed a device which has a structure like a linear motor (see Japanese Pat. Pub. Disc. No. 49673/86). However, such a prior art example employs a complicated structure in which a number of spaced-apart magnetic poles are arranged for floating and guiding a moving member. Besides, since the stability of the moving member in the vertical direction in its floating state is obtained by magnetic forces of individual magnetic poles therebetween, inner and outer magnetic poles often bear the positional relationship in which they do not exactly face each other, as the moving member is guided, and consequently, the stability of the moving member in the vertical direction is not so high. Moreover, since the moving member cannot be stopped at the position where the inner and outer magnetic poles do not exactly face each other, it is impossible to stop it with high precision at a desired position in its lengthwise direction.